Spiked Online

This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's focus on the fallout of nuclear "spin."

Spiked Online is an online mouthpiece for the libertarian LM group. The site was set up by former Living Marxism editor Mick Hume, and is seen as the magazine's direct descendant. According to its website, Spiked aims to "show the potential of the internet for publishing and journalism". [1]

Contents

History

The LM group believe that society, business and science, especially biotechnology, are being held back by fear of risk and experimentation. Spiked Online is one of two main outlets currently used by the group, the other being the Institute of Ideas, founded by Claire Fox.

Spiked organises numerous seminars with most to date on IT related topics. However, they but have also taken in issues such as genetic engineering, climate change, the debate over vaccination and hosted the Danish environmental sceptic Bjorn Lomborg

Spiked has a close association with the PR firm, Hill & Knowlton. Of the 34 seminars Spiked has organised in the last three years, over half have listed Hill and Knowlton as Spiked's "partner/sponsor" and been held in the PR company's office.

Funding

According to its website "Spiked is entirely independent. It is designed and built by volunteers, financed by supporters and sponsors, and written for by unpaid contributors". [5]

"After securing first-round investment in the midst of the dotcom bust-up, and being designed and built largely by dedicated volunteers, spiked is looking to expand its programme by seeking further funds," the website states. [6]